


freeze

by wakandawinterprincess



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:07:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandawinterprincess/pseuds/wakandawinterprincess
Summary: Nakia never freezes. Until she does.
Relationships: Nakia (Black Panther) & Shuri, Nakia (Black Panther)/T'Challa
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	freeze

Grief takes on many different forms. Nakia _knows_ this. 

But never in her right mind did she think her reaction might eventually be to _freeze_. 

She's undercover on a mission, six weeks after his funeral, when the sight in front of her stops her dead in her tracks. 

It's **him**. _Bast,_ it's him. 

He's turned away from her, so she can only catch glimpses of his profile. But she'd recognize that tell-tale laugh anywhere. 

  
  


**No**. No, no, no. 

  
  


It _can't_ be him. She _knows_ that. 

And yet. Despite that, tears fill her eyes.

Memories of him -- his laugh, his voice, the way he'd smile into every kiss -- flood her system, suddenly. Override any obvious logical checks her mind would offer her now. 

" _T'Challa?_ " she chokes out, not caring that she's likely blowing her cover and then some.

(Not _caring_ , that this is irrational and inappropriate, and will rip her to pieces just as she'd started slowly putting them back together.)

Because if, by some miracle of Bast, this **_is_ ** him -- then she has to see him.

Has to say her good-byes, one **last** time. 

But then the moment is over. The man turns around, and while he's certainly tall, dark and handsome, he's not _him._ Not her love. 

And it's in that moment, frozen in front of a man she doesn't recognize that she _finally_ knows -- 

He's well and truly gone. For _good_ , this time. 

That there is indeed no power on Earth, real or imagined, that can bring him back to her now. 

Or **_ever_**.

"Nakia?" Shuri's voice buzzes in on her earpiece, sounding worried. "Are you OK?" 

Nakia backs away. Wipes away her tears. 

"Of course." she murmurs, and then, she can't help the choked half-laugh that makes its way into her next words, in spite of the sheer _pain_ of it all -- 

  
" _I never freeze_."

**Author's Note:**

> Been writing like a madman and watching videos to cope with the news of his passing. My heart hurts so bad, yet I'm also so grateful for all he gave us. Rest in power, my king.


End file.
